He Holds Me When I Start To Cry
by JustAColoradoGirl
Summary: A Decision must be made....between old and new. Rory and Jess have been quarraling. Into whose arms does Rory run to? CHAP 6 is up. CONSTRUCTIVE REVEIWS!!
1. The beginning

He Holds Me When I Start To Cry  
  
She looked out the diner window longingly as she sat across from her boyfriend. Rory Gilmore was 17, a senior, attended Chilton, and was with the infamous Jess Mariano. She turned to look at jess who stared at her with wanting eyes.. "what are you thinking about Mr. Mariano?" she joked . "what's up with you lately?" he said suddenly, becoming a bit too serious for Rory's liking. Jess leaned in closer to Rory. "you've been distant... I hardly see you and when I do, your always in a another world." He said rather harshly still holding eye contact with his girlfriend.  
  
"what are you talking about jess? I am sorry that I have been so busy with Chilton..its just that its soo demanding and to top it off I'm a senior and still on the school paper." Rory said staring jess straight in the eyes..  
  
"its always something with you Rory...i am just tired of it..you really need to make time for the other things in your life that are important besides Chilton.that's all you ever think about." Jess said scathingly.  
  
"Just because I am going somewhere out of stars hollow when I graduate doesn't give you the right to slander me for my commitment. I don't need this right now jess..when you decide to stop being an idiot give me a call." Rory shot back, crudely getting up from the table and storming out of the diner.  
  
"see if I ever call Rory!! " Jess shouted after her , also getting up from the table and rushing up to his room above the diner.  
  
Rory blew through the front door of her house and went straight into her room. Her eyes were red and swollen and her cheeks were glazed with tears. Loralei watched as her young daughter went into her room obviously upset.  
  
"Rory? What'd the bastard say this time" she said half jokingly, walking into her daughters room.  
  
"I don't want to talk about it.please don't pursue the issue..just leave me alone for a while.' Rory said blandly, not even turning around to face her mother  
  
. "alright..i have coffee though.come on now...coffee." Loralei coaxed.  
  
"mom" rory said warningly "just shut the door."  
  
Loralei did as she was told and then sat down at the kitchen counter. "that little brat.if I get my hands on him I gonna ring his scrawny little neck."  
  
Rory sat on her bed looking around her room. She got up and started to walk around it turning over the pictures of her and jess as she went. She opened her closet and came across and rather large box. She pulled it out and set it on her bed. She stared at it a few moments trying to remember the contents. Rory drew a blank, she could not remember what was in that box to save her life. She carefully opened it up and dumped the contents on her bed. She gasped and looked at it in true amazement. The Dean Box. She rummaged through the things and came upon a few pictures. She smiled as she looked at the one with dean carrying her around on his back in his back yard. The next was a picture of her and him at the debutante ball. She remembered the dancing lessons and smiled..tears starting to gather in her eyes..yes she had to admit that she missed him. He was a wonderful first boyfriend and treated her better then anyone ever could have. She went on to the next picture..it was of her and him kissing right after her return to stars hollow from the summer internship thing she had done. She missed his lips and his arms. She wiped her eyes and scanned over the rest of the stuff lying on her bed. His jacket... presents he had given her..and a valentines card .  
  
she reached for the card and opened it slowly. "Rory, happy valentines day first of all, I never knew love or even thought it was possible until I met you. Love Dean." She began to cry and grabbed a pillow to stifle the tears. She needed to talk to him.she needed to see him. She changed into a pair of jeans and a tank top and grabbed her keys to the house.  
  
She walked down the streets of stars hollow as the sun set and night quietly came in. The cool air felt good on her face and the light breeze touseled her hair. She came to deans house and gazed at it for a minute. Taking a deep breath she walked over to the immense tree and started to climb it. She carefully jumped onto the roof and crawled up to deans window. Rory peered in to see dean sitting in a chair reading a book. She smiled sadly. She decided she would watch him for a while longer..and then decided to tap on the window.  
  
Deans mind was trying to concentrate on his book...but Dean Forrester didn't read. well he tried not to too often..it might scar his wonderful rep . He tried to concentrate but couldn't. out of nowhere he heard a tap. He looked around his room but saw nothing. Going back to his book he wondered what it could be..and then again with the tapping. He looked around once more but this time something caught his eye. He found himself staring at his window into the beautiful blue eyes of his ex girlfriend. "Rory." he breathed getting up out of his chair. He opened the window to see her sitting on his roof.  
  
"Uh hi dean...can I come in?" dean extended his hand and helped her into his room.  
  
"what brings you here ?" he asked in bewilderment.  
  
Rory sat down on his bed and started to sniffle. "I'm not quite sure.I started thinking about you and I couldn't stop..and I have missed you and I guess I needed to know if you missed me." Rory rambled on nervously through soft tears.  
  
Dean stood back in somewhat of a shocked daze. "you miss me?" he repeated now sitting down next to her on the bed.  
  
"yes... I think I just said that.." she replied looking at him quietly. "yeah well I have missed you too...I have tried to talk to you and things but your always with...him" dean said lowly emphasizing the last part. "Speaking of him..are you 2 still together..." dean asked looking down at his jeans.  
  
Rory touched his arm "I never meant to hurt you..and I don't know if we still are...he hasn't been treating me as well lately..he has been different..more hostile."  
  
"Sounds like him." Dean said loathingly.  
  
Rory moved closer to him and rested her head on his shoulder. Instinctively dean put his arm around her and held her tight. God how he had missed her...he was still in love with her.and in his mind always would be. Rory was in the most peaceful calm state of mind she had been in, in ages. She hadn't realized how truly much she had missed dean. She looked up at him and smiled. He leaned in gently pressing his lips against hers..then as if it was meant to be she pressed her lips more against his ...gently kissing him back. They parted and dean smiled. Rory smiled as well. Then it hit..the reality. She had just kissed her ex boyfriend.whom her actual boyfriend despises..and the worst part of it...was that she now knew she was still in love with the one and the only Dean Forrester. 


	2. Oh Lord here we go again

Chapter 2: To hide it or not to Hide it?  
  
Rory Gilmore rushed home that night. She walked quickly through the streets of stars hollow feeling alone and confused. "God please don't let me run into Jess..please god.." She whispered to herself not even looking around as she walked. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Flashback ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
After the kiss no one spoke for a good 2 minutes. Silence engulfed the air making it more awkward than necessary.  
  
"I'm sorry I shouldn't have done that.Even if you and Jess are fighting, you are still tentatively together....I didn't mean to force you into something you didn't want to go through with." Dean said, now standing in front of her as she sat on his bed.  
  
"I did want to go through with it.. That's the problem." Rory replied looking Dean in the eyes.  
  
"So what does this mean for you and I? I mean I didn't even think we were friends and now this." Dean said, more as if he were talking to himself than to a person.  
  
"I honestly don't know..i need to speak with jess but every time I try we seem to get in an argument and storm out on each other." Rory sighed, running a hand though her chocolate brown hair. "Anyways thank you for being here for me on such short and awkward notice..to think .. Your ex girlfriend just shows up on your roof. What a day."  
  
"Well I can't say that it was terrible.. In all truth it was a pleasant surprise in my mind. I guess I will talk to you online or something then. See you around Rory Gilmore." Dean replied smiling.  
  
"Goodbye Dean Forrester." Rory waved back as she climbed out through his window and down the tree. Jesus Christ...she had fallen for her ex once again.. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ End Flashback ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Rory's mind was a blur.she couldn't help but smile. A kiss so forbidden has never tasted so sweet, she mused. Yes she was back in love with dean but that didn't erase what she still felt for Jess. She had a terrible guilty feeling... She did to Jess what she had done to dean earlier that year. Kissed another guy..the only one that jess really despised. Should she tell jess? I mean this could be the total end for her and him..is that such a bad thing? Dean Or Jess?  
  
She was about to pass by the diner..oh no there was jess, wiping down tables. She lowered her head and walked as quickly as she could past. The glass door opened. "Rory?" a familiar voice called....she walked faster not looking back.pretending that she couldn't hear him.  
  
Jess watched her go in somewhat of an angry daze. "What the hell is going on with her?" He shook his head and went back inside...locking the door. He headed upstairs, walked into his room and closed the door. He stared at the phone wondering whether to call her or not. Something was definitely not right in the land of rory..not right at all.  
  
Rory came in through the front door so see her mother waiting at the kitchen table. "Feel better?" Loralei asked, sipping some home brewed coffee.  
  
"I feel better yes but I don't know if I should." Rory replied plopping herself down in a chair at the table to face her mother.  
  
"Do tell young padawan." Loralei joked, handing rory her own cup of coffee.  
  
"Well I happened to stumble upon the dean box." rory started but was cut off.  
  
"Oh no! The Dean box??" Loralei gasped in mock amazement. "Why the dean box? I mean the dean box has not been touched in ages.."  
  
"I don't know why I took it out but I did...and even if the dean box wasn't enough I went to see Dean himself!" Rory went on, taking a large swig of her coffee at the end.  
  
"Bum bum bum... and then what? You didn't kill each other? Come on.what happened.was it gory? Does he still have eyes...?" Loralei asked now very interested in the story.  
  
"We kissed...me and Dean Forrester kissed." Rory admitted, a little smile playing on her lips.  
  
"You and BagBoy kissed?!?! What prompted this act??" Loralei exclaimed in excitement.  
  
"Well I think I realized that I still love him..and I still have feelings for jess..and...well I just cheated on jess like I did on dean..oh Christ here we go again.." Rory replied flopping her head down on her arms.  
  
"My favorite son is back!!" Loralei said "I knew you still fancied him and his cute little toosh..."  
  
"I am going to bed mom." Rory laughed, getting up.  
  
"You will let me plan the wedding wont you? Pink for the brides maids gowns?" Loralei called .  
  
"Good night." Rory said tiredly but still smiling.  
  
"We can pick out the cake tomorrow if you like .sleep tight!" Loralei called as the door shut to Rory's room. "Looks like I wont have to kill jess after all..Dean is back..its time to meddle.."  
  
Rory sat down at her desk and turned on her computer. She signed on to AOL and waited for her Buddy list to load. An instant message from "StarsHollowPunk" popped up on her screen.  
  
StarsHollowPunk: Didn't hear me call your name?  
  
Coffee4Rory: Oh hello jess.  
  
StarsHollowPunk: what the hell is going on with you? We fight all the time these days... now you wont even turn around when I call your name...we need to talk.  
  
Coffee4Rory: Jess I am sorry that I have seemed different..and yes your right we do need to talk..  
  
StarsHollowPunk: I saw you walking to Deans..you wanna explain what that was about?  
  
Coffee4Rory: Can we talk about this in person...i don't think over the internet is the best idea.  
  
StarsHollowPunk: Fine Bye.  
  
****StarsHollowPunk has signed off****  
  
Rory sighed and looked at the screen. She was done crying..and done with the way he was treating her. She needed to choose.Jess or Dean.. Just as rory really started to get into her deep pondering, another Instant Message popped up on the Screen.  
  
BagBoyDF: Hey Ror.  
  
Coffee4Rory: Hey dean. :-D. Wow been a while since we talked. How are you?  
  
BagBoyDF: I am fine...yes a whole hour.I cant bare it anymore..Talked to Jess yet?  
  
Coffee4Rory: To an extent..I have to go meet him in a little while to talk. I am going to tell him what happened. Then go from there.  
  
BagBoyDF: Good luck with him.. I hope you work it out.  
  
Coffee4Rory: Thank you...I will tell you about it after. There is obviously something between us.. I wont leave you hanging .  
  
BagBoyDF: ok G'bye rory.  
  
****BagBoyDF has signed off****  
  
Rory signed off as well and once again grabbed a jacket and her keys. She opened the door to her room and walked out into the kitchen. Her mother was still sitting there at the table drinking her beloved coffee.  
  
"Going somewhere..?" Loralei asked cheerfully.  
  
"Off to talk to Jess." Rory replied "I have got to clear this up before things get any worse."  
  
"Good luck hun..I will be here looking at bridal gowns.this ones nice~!!" Loralei laughed.  
  
"Bye Mom" rory called, walking out the front door "Nothing too tight or slinky...remember like a virgin."  
  
Dean rested on his bed staring up at the ceiling, thinking of her. He thought he was over her..that he could move on and be without her. Now he was right back where he started.pining for the one and only Rory Gilmore. Ever since jess had come into this town his world had been spun upside down and out of control. When rory and him broke up and she went to jess, he thought it was done for good...that she was lost for ever. He never even put up a fight for her. Right this second she was now walking towards Jess's to either make up with him or break up with him. Should he do something? Should he go and tell rory that he is the one that is in love with her...should he put up a fight this time? Dean sat up on his bed as if to take one last moment to think, then got up quickly grabbed his coat and went out the door. It was time to go get the girl of his dreams.  
  
Rory walked slowly down the street towards luke's diner..trying to figure out exactly how she was going to explain to her boyfriend that she had just kissed her ex boyfriend and still was in love with him. "Hi Jess.how's it going?..yes well I kissed dean and I am still in love with him...other then that I am fine.." She shook her head..no that wasn't going to work. She still hadn't decided whether she still wanted to be with him or not..or if she wanted to give her and dean another try. She kept walking.still very slowly, wondering if she could do this or not.  
  
"Rory!" a voice called out of the darkness. She whipped around looking for whoever it was that was calling her. "Dean?" rory gasped.. "You scared me to death..what are you doing here?"  
  
"I needed to get something off my chest...i let you go when you and I broke up .but I don't want to do that this time. I am still in love with you.I always have been. I know you still have feelings for jess. This is your last chance.its me or jess..i cant wait around anymore or be second best to him. You know how I feel.." Dean said holding both of rory's hands in his. "Its your choice I just want you to be happy ..but I have got to try and be happy too."  
  
Rory stared at him...he was right she did need to make a choice. She started to lean upwards towards dean as he bent down. She closed her eyes...it seemed so right when another familiar voice floated in on the cool night air.  
  
"What a surprise.." Jess said walking up to rory and dean. Dean dropped Rory's hands and backed away but stepped into an intimidating stance.  
  
"Jess..." Rory started but was cut off.  
  
"I don't want to hear what excuse you have or story okay? Its Me or Bagboy here..pick and choose. I don't want to mess around any longer." Jess said sharply. "as for you bagboy...revenge is sweet isn't it? Got what you wanted?"  
  
Rory looked from Jess and then to dean. What was she to do? The one she has loved forever..or the one who captured her heart as well?  
  
A/N: Well that is chapter 2...what do you all think? Is it any good? Should I keep writing? 


	3. Fists of Fury

Chapter 3 .Fists of fury  
  
"Just couldn't resist old Bagboy here could you, All American, boy next door, sweet heart. Well you know what Rory? You are right..you are going somewhere after highschool and I'm not...so maybe dean is better suited to be used and abused in the land of Rory and her ambitions." Jess half shouted in anger.  
  
"Jess..you don't understand if you would just let me explain..." Rory said trying to step closer to him.  
  
"No...no explanations this time.. I just want to know one thing... like the feeling of cheating on someone once again?" Jess retorted , stepping back.  
  
This was it for dean..the way jess treated rory.. "Back off Jess... you don't even know she cheated on you... stop making assumptions and listen for once." Dean said evenly.  
  
"Shut up bag boy...stop trying to cover up for her... you guys deserve each other." Jess spat angrily. This was so unlike him, to be like this to rory. What the hell was going on.did he know bout the kiss? Had he somehow seen?  
  
"Well you sure as hell don't deserve her..." dean spat back.  
  
Rory was in a daze..she had no idea what to do. Out of no where Jess lunged at dean grabbing him by his shirt. Dean cocked his arm back and hit jess straight on in the chest causing him to stumble backwards gasping for breath.  
  
Jess came back at dean, shoving him forcefully, inciting him to lose his balance and fall. Dean rolled onto the ground trying to avoid another attack from jess.  
  
Jess lunged himself onto dean, throwing a right hook that connected with the blonde boy's jaw. Dean grunted in pain as his lip began to bleed steadily. Throwing jess off of him, dean swung his left fist hitting jess square in the mouth.  
  
"Stop it!!" Rory shrieked standing in front of dean as jess came up for another attack. He stopped abruptly right in front of rory, panting heavily.  
  
"Rory move..dont get in the middle of this..we need to settle it once and for all." Jess breathed pushing rory aside.  
  
She watched as jess took another swing at dean missing terribly. Dean moved around to face jess again as he prepared to charge once more. Jess hit dean head on in the stomach ramming him into the wall behind them. Dean coughed loudly sputtering blood as he slid down the wall. He clutched his chest, pain evident on his face.  
  
Jess backed away realizing the severity of last assault. He looked at rory suddenly beginning to feel afraid. "I'm sorry." He muttered backing away.  
  
Rory's eyes widened.she rushed over to dean, kneeling down beside him. "Dean?? Dean!!" She said firmly, grasping his hand...  
  
"Rory..I didn't mean to..I mean." Jess stuttered..the bad boy act had been dropped and now jess was really beginning to feel what he might lose.  
  
"Jess..I'll call you tomorrow.go home.." Rory said monotonously..not even glancing back as she did.  
  
Jess turned around and walked quickly away. What have I done? Why? He never had meant to really hurt dean..just to prove to him that Rory was his girl.his not deans. He had the sinking feeling that he might lose rory...but this time for good. 


	4. Cold Compresses and Discount Weenies

Chapter 4  
  
Rory sat on her knees next to dean cradling his head in her lap. His lip was bleeding and his breaths were heavy and labored. She watched him silently almost feeling the urge to cry. A lump rose in her throat as dean layed there with his eyes closed in immense amounts of pain. She gently tried to rest a hand on his chest but dean protested immediately. He grunted in pain opening his eyes. Rory looked on in wonder...this was more then just cat scratches she thought.  
  
"Dean...we need to get up...." rory whispered.  
  
"I cant go home..my mom will skin me alive..." Dean breathed trying to get up. Rory helped pull him to his feet and placed his arm around her. They started walking Dean leaning on her for much needed support.  
  
"You can stay at my place.mom will love to see you... She'll show you the tux's she has been looking at." Rory replied trying to lighten the air.  
  
Dean laughed but quickly stopped, grunting once more in pain. "No laughing..." he said gruffly. Silence settled once more on the air as they slowly headed towards rory's.  
  
"I am soo sorry you had to go through that." rory said looking at dean sadly. "I mean.I shouldn't have put you in that position... Your hurt because of me and I am so sorry and well." but she was cut off mid sentence.  
  
"Rory..it was worth it.." Dean said simply, flashing that all American, knee buckling, blush inducing smile that got her every time. They stopped for a moment and dean very carefully, turned to face her. "I would fight anyone or anything for you. You have no idea how much you mean to me, or even how much I honestly do love you. If I didn't come tonight...then I would once again be burdened with the regret that I had a chance to win you back and didn't take it."  
  
Rory smiled and silently began to cry. " Well I do miss the special discounts on my Jimmy dean miniature weenies." rory started laughing through tears.  
  
"I know you still feel something for him..and I can live with that as long as I know you still feel a lot of something for me...he's right you do need to make your decision...it doesn't have to be right now..but soon" Dean said firmly but still in a warm sense. She was floored at after everything she had put him though and hurt him so badly..he not only still loved her but wanted her back as well.  
  
Rory pondered for a moment, every so often wiping her eyes. On one hand she had someone that she knew that would treat her better then anyone ever could and that loved her more then anything.and other the other hand she had the oh so tempting bad boy that someone had her partly hooked. She gazed up at dean..there was so question in her mind as of that moment who she was truly in love with. Dean Forrester had captured her heart long ago and still held it today.  
  
The rest of the walk home was quiet and serene. They walked in through the front door to still see loralei sitting at the kitchen table..more coffee in hand. She took one look at dean and jumped out of her seat. "Please tell me you atleast gave him some war wounds too.." she said as she looked around the kitchen.  
  
"I better have.." dean said irritably , as rory helped him lay down on the couch. He tried raising his arm but flinched violently in pain. Rory was beginning to wonder what else exactly he had hurt. She studied dean as he clenched his chest protectively then relaxed and closed his eyes. She gently began to unbutton his shirt and gasped at the sight it revealed.  
  
"Mom!! Come're!!" Rory yelled looking at the massive collage of bruises that had collected along most of deans rib cage lines.  
  
Loralei looked and shook her head. "Kid you got yourself a set of really bruised ribs..Jess must have hit you really hard."  
  
"tackled more specifically" dean replied gutterally.  
  
"Rest." rory stated giving him a peck on the lips as soon as her mother turned around to head into the kitchen again. She put a warm blanket over him and the cold compress her mother had given her on his lip.  
  
"Thank you." dean whispered, sparing a tired grin.  
  
"Hey what else am I good for..." Rory replied, running a hand through her hair. She gave him one last kiss on the cheek and stood up walking over to the lightswitch in the living room. "By the way..I love you too.." She said and turned out the lights.  
  
Dean smiled to himself. If you love someone long enough, they're bound to come back...he thought and closed his eyes..drifting off into a much needed slumber. 


	5. Tape, Phones, and Prancing

Chapter 5  
  
Rory walked into the kitchen, gave her mother a kiss on the cheek goodnight and headed into her bedroom, shutting the door behind her. She stared at the phone for a few minutes, then walked over to it. She took a deep breath and exhaled, picking up the phone and dialed Jess's number.  
  
"Hello?" a shaky but even voice answered.  
  
"Hey its Rory.." Rory said quietly  
  
"Hey.." Jess replied slowly.  
  
"Are you okay..?" Rory asked, feeling considerably uneasy.  
  
"Black eye..fat lip..your boyfriends got a mean left hook." Jess said half resentfully.  
  
" He thinks you should be in football." Rory tried to joke. "I never meant to hurt you...it wasn't what it looked like Jess.."  
  
"You still love him.it doesn't matter what it looked like.I know what it was." Jess said cutting her off once again.  
  
"Your right I do.but that doesn't mean I still don't have feelings for you." rory said highly , now biting her lip..  
  
"Rory..you know better than anyone you cant have both..whoever you choose.just make sure that you will be happy...i have to go..i will talk to you tomorrow." Jess said regretfully, he hung up the phone and buried his face in his hands. The end of him and rory was near...he could feel it. The irony of it.was that he thought he might just actually love her.  
  
Rory quietly placed the phone down on the receiver and changed into her pajama's. She felt on the verge of tears because she finally realized that she did not love jess...that she just wanted to be his friend...and it would be the hardest thing she would ever have to tell him or anyone for that matter. She still wanted to be friends.but that would take time.and she didn't know if jess would want to waste his time..never the less she settled into bed and shut off the light, drifting slowly to sleep.  
  
Loralei schlumped around the kitchen the next morning. It was Saturday and she couldn't believe how much had happened all in one Friday night. She peaked out into the living room to see Dean still sleeping peacefully on the couch. She smiled warmly as she went back into the kitchen brewing a fresh pot of coffee. It was soo nice to have Dean back in her home. She had to admit she was warming up to jess, but that he never came near the love loralei felt for dean. Her daughters bedroom door creaked open, revealing a mascara smudged, hair ruffled Rory, rubbing her eyes.  
  
"Morning sunshine!" Loralei said in mock cheer as she handed her daughter a cup of coffee. Rory took it in both hands and sat down at the table silently. She ran both hands through her hair and rubbed her eyes one last time.  
  
"Hows dean?" she asked feeling more awake after her first few sips.  
  
"Sleeping..so adorable." Loralei replied.  
  
Rory got up leaving her coffee on the table. She glanced at the clock on the microwave. 10:17 am. She went over to the sink and dampened a wash cloth with cold water. Walking very slowly, rory made her way into the living room and sat on the edge of the couch next to dean. Smiling softly, she pressed the cloth on his forehead and down his cheek. He stirred, finally opening his softly glowing blue eyes. "Hello gorgeous." She whispered, winking playfully.  
  
Dean smiled, carefully lifting an arm to rub his eyes. "Morning." He said, as his voice cracked at the end. Rory laughed, running her hands through her hair once again, encountering stray tangles along the way.  
  
"Alright.can you sit up?" Rory asked  
  
"I can try.." dean grunted carefully pulling himself up by holding onto the couch and rory. She sat uneasily, trying not to sit too straight or hunch over. " I feel like I got his by a 18 wheeler." He said tiredly.  
  
"Mom grab the First aid kit!!" Rory called out, gesturing for dean to unbutton the rest of his shirt. She returned to her attention back to him and smiled devilishly. "I think we should tape your rib cage...it will help with the pressure and mobility."  
  
"Alright.." Dean replied looking at her suspiciously.  
  
Rory rolled her eyes and grinned, somewhat red in the face. "In order to tape you, I need you to take your shirt off." she said quietly, nervously tapping her fingers on her knee.  
  
Dean smiled as well and replied in mock exasperation "Okay..only if we must.." he ever so carefully pulled off his shirt handing it to rory. She looked at his toned, yet bruised chest and 6 pack.  
  
"Lotta spare time?" she asked nodding to the chiseled stomach and pecks.  
  
"Weight-lifting for gym..gotta stay lean and mean for bagging." He replied slightly laughing, but trying hard not to. Loralei brought in the first aid kit and handed it to rory. She in turn opened it up and took out 2 rolls of white thick surgical tape. Dean slightly raised his arms, enough so rory could tape around him.  
  
After 20 minutes or taping and re-taping because it was too tight or too loose dean was set to go. Loralei handed him 2 gel caps of advil and a glass of water Dean sat on the couch shirtless with tape around his ribs drinking his water as loralei headed up stairs to get dressed. Rory sat down next to him on the couch, resting her head on his shoulder gently. He clasped one of her hands in his and placed a hand softly on her cheek, leaning in to kiss her. They kissed back and forth tenderly until they heard loralei re-enter the room.  
  
"Rewarding the valiant survivor I see.." Loralei said, sticking her tounge out at rory. She pranced into the kitchen to leave rory and dean alone once again.  
  
"Lukes?" Dean suggested. "I doubt HE will be serving if my fist connected well enough with his face."  
  
Rory sighed and nodded her head. This marked the beginning of one of the most difficult days of her life.. 


	6. A Swan?

Chapter 6 Rory left dean on the couch and walked into her room, changing into a pair of jeans and a tank top. She brushed her hair and touched up her makeup, then walked back out... "Lukes it is." she said helping dean off the couch. They walked into the kitchen to see if Loralei was ready.   
  
'Ai Ai Captain!!" Loralei chirped, grabbing her coat and walking out the backdoor with her daughter and dean. They reached Luke's in what seemed like no time at all, walking in they took a table in the far corner and waited for the gruff man to approach them.   
  
"what'll ya have?" Luke said with paper and pen in hand.   
  
"Coffee." All three said in unison.   
  
"Any breakfast?" Luke said, eyeing dean suspiciously. "The swan get to you too?" Dean glared and loralei laughed hysterically for a second then stopped abruptly. "More then 3 words!! Dean you did it!!" she said breaking into laughter again. "Dean looked at rory who smiled helplessly. "You said you wanted to come here." She said. Dean sighed heavily and wrapped an arm around his ribs..just hen someone made an entrance down the stairwell behind the counter of the diner. A brown haired boy with a swollen purplish eye stared around the shop. Rory's breath caught as she ducked down a bit. She, realizing that her childish behavior would not help, stood up at the table. "I'll be right back." she said Dean looked at her, his expression dropping a bit. He nodded his head and looked at loralei who smiled encouragingly at rory. "Good luck sweetie." she said nodding to the stairs where jess stood, trying not to look at her. Rory walked over to jess then said a few things to him and they walked up stairs. Dean watched in unease... "Jess".. Rory started but was cut off by jess, who pulled her into him, giving her a long fervent kiss. She pushed him away turning around. "There's my answer.." Jess said as rory turned back around. "I hope you and dean are happy.." Jess said walking down the stairs. "Jess wait.I didn't mean to hurt you." Rory said , watching him turn around on the stairs. "Rory...you never do.." With that jess walked away, stormed past luke, and out the diner door. Rory had a feeling he was going to be gone for a while. She watched him go, but felt more at ease in her heart..it was right..it had to be. 


	7. Oh No

Chapter 7  
  
Jess walked down the streets of stars hollow, as the sun rose directly up in the sky. It was a about noon or so and a cool breeze tugged at his leather jacket. 'let her go..' He told himself. Rory's happiness was more important to him than his own. Somehow he knew it wouldn't last...him and her. He was a fad...part of a phase rory went through. She knew where her heart was and it certainly was not with him. He stopped a minute and stared at the ground. Dean was good for her. Strong, caring, not the sharpest tool in the shed, but smart in his own way. He was every girls all American dream boy. The one you could take home to mom and dad and know they would love him. Jess Mariano was never going to be that way.never.  
  
"Jess?" a femine voice called out of nowhere. Jess sighed...he wished that Rory would just leave him alone. Turning around he looked at the girl with dark brown hair and blue eyes.  
  
"I want you to understand whats going on.." She said slowly.  
  
"whats there to understand rory? Its simple.I'm not dim.. You still love him...you realized after being with me how much you really do love him...i was a catalyst that set off the chain reaction...now that I have finished causing wakes...i get shipped off. I get it, alright." Jess explained, holding his head high with a straight face.  
  
"I really did like you ..I may have even loved you at one point or another.but I don't know.something just sparked between me and dean again...i cant explain it...it just happened. Please don't hate me.i know this sounds incredibly cliché...but I do want to be friends still.after all we will run into each other..drink coffee at the same time in the mornings..we cant avoid each other forever.." Rory replied cracking a smile.  
  
Jess smiled weakly and turned around.. "See you around.." he said and walked off. Rory watched him go in silence.smiling gently. It was right... she was better off and so was he.  
  
Dean waited patiently with loralei at the table in luke's.his ribs now throbbing in his broad chest. He took shallow slow breaths and tried to take his mind off the pain. What was going on? Why was she with jess so long.he trusted rory ...even after what happened last time he couldn't help but trust her again...was it worth it to put his heart back into this? He looked towards the door to see rory walk back in half smiling. He breathed a sigh of relief as dean stood up to greet her.  
  
"Lets take a walk.." She said quietly, placing her hand in his, dean smiled softly as he was led outside. They walked down the streets of stars hollow chatting aimlessly. She turned a corner and rory's breath caught in her chest. There was jess...but not just jess but a trashy looking blonde. She looked familiar. Shane..Rory breathed to herself. Jess pulled away from the blonde as he planted one last lingering kiss. There were no words between them. Rory looked on in disgust. He heart did not her.her mind was not angry..she knew this would happen...somehow she knew.  
  
"Looks like you found someone more fitting jess." Rory finally said and walked away.  
  
Jess watched her go sadly..Shane hung on him like she was attached at the hip.. his heart sank but then rose again. Rory was never meant for him..they weren't the same class or social stature...she was too good for him. She belonged with Dean. Dean Bagboy Forrester...not Jess Mariano. 


	8. 5 years later

Chapter 8  
  
5 years later.  
  
Jess awoke and looked out the window of his apartment in Venice Beach California. The sun had risen and the sky was a brilliant blue. He smiled happily and rolled over to find an empty space. He had no girlfriend. .and hadn't really for about 5 years surprisingly. It wasn't that he couldn't get girls.it was that none of them ever measured up to what he wanted in one. He sat up and slid his jeans on then walked out to his door to find mail sitting on the carpet next to it. "Bills." He muttered picking up the letters. He shuffled through them..."Bills..bills...bills.bills..Stars hollow?" he stopped suddenly and opened the letter that was personally addressed to him.  
  
Dear Jess,  
  
Wow. It has been ages since we have talked last or even seen each other. How have you been? Well I know you are probably wondering why I am writing you, since I haven't done so since you moved away...Contained in this envelope is an invitation to my wedding... I would really like you to come.Please. I ahvent seen you in so long and it would mean worlds to me for you to join us. Thanks.  
  
Love, Rory  
  
Jess stared at the letter a while longer and reread it a few more times. Rory was getting married...he ran a hand through his messy hair and took a deep sigh. What a great way to start a day.  
  
"Dean..." Rory began as she sat at her kitchen counter in her mothers house in stars hollow. "Hmm?" he replied looking through a magazine full of tuxes and suits. "I invited jess.." She said quickly and looked down.  
  
Dean looked up abruptly and stared at her. "Why?" he asked and sat down at the kitchen table as well.  
  
"I owe it to him." she said and looked at dean thoroughly.  
  
Dean sighed.. "what a great way to start off the day.." 


End file.
